Craue



1 s'rrns PAE FIQE.

ERNEST J. MQHABG, OFBINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

CRANE.

eas es.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 23, 1919.

Application filed April 20, 1918. Serial No. 229,814.

specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be employed for discharging material into a cement mixer, and the invention aims to provide a simple but eiiicient means whereby a bucket loaded with the aggregate may be lifted and swung around above the hopper of the mixer.

The invention aims to, provide novel means for rotating the mast to bring the bucket into dumping position. A further object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the bucket will be so suspended during its movement with the load, that the weight will be distributed.

It is within the province of the disclosure to, improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and otherobjects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein'disclosed can bemade within the scope of what isclaimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in'elevation a device constructed in accordance with the invention Fig. 2 is a top plan; 7

And Fig. 3 is a fragmental horizontal section taken through the casing wherein the lower end of the mast is journaled.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a support 1 which may be a wheel-mounted truck. A casing 2 is mounted on the support 1 and sustains for rotation in a vertical position, a mast 3, which, if desired, may be additionally supported by means of guys 4 connected at their lower ends with the member 1 and connected at their upper end with a bearing 5 surrounding the mast 3 and located between collars 6 on the mast. An arm 7 projects outwardly from the mast 3 and is secured thereto, the inner end of the arm being located between collars 8 on the mast. The arm 7 is supported by a brace 9, the upper end of which 'is engaged with the mast 3 and is locatedbetween collars 10 on the mast. In the arm 7,

near to the mast 3, openings 11 are formed.

A hanger 12 may be connected with the arm 7 at adjusted points along the arm, the openings 11 being for the purpose of this adjustment. A sheave 14 is journaled in the hanger 12.

The numeral 15 marks a bucket having a bail 16, the bail being de-tachably connected with the bucket as shown at 17. clevis 18 is carried by the bail 16 and in the clevis 18, a sheave 19 is journaled. One end of a flexible element 20 is connected at 21 with the clevis 18, the flexible element being extended upwardly to the sheave 14, downwardly to the sheave 19, and upwardly around a sheave 22 carried at the outer end of the arm 7. From the sheave 22, the flexible element 20 extends upwardly around a sheave or guide 23 carried by a collar 24 on the mast 3, the sheave 23 being offset slightly,

to one side of the mast, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 2. From the sheave 23, the flexible element 20 extends downwardly to a drum 25 journaled on a shaft 26 constituting a part ofan engine 27 mounted on the support .1. The engine shaft is supported for rota tion in a bearing 28 on the member 1. The drum 25 may be connected to the engine shaft 26, and can be disconnected therefrom,

by a clutch 29 of any desired form.

On one end of the engine shaft 26 there is a pinion 30 meshing into a gear 31 constituting a part of a rotatable member 32, the rotatable member 32 forming a part of a cement mixer, the rotatable member being mounted in any suitable way, as shown at 33, on the member 1. The fixed part of the cement mixer includes a hopper 34:. In general, the cement mixer may of course be of any sort, the drawings being diagrammatic to some extent so far as the cement mixer is concerned. A second shaft 35 is journaled in bearings 36 on the support 1 and is disposed parallel to the shaft 26. By means of a sprocket chain 37, the second shaft 35 is connectedwith a sprocket wheel 38 on the shaft 26, Beveled pinions 39 are mounted to rotate on the second shaft 35, and either of the beveled pinions may be connected with the shaft by means of a clutch l0. The beveled pinions 39 mesh into a beveled pinion 421, secured to a third shaft 42 journaled in the casing 2 and in a bearing 13 on the support 1. The third shaft 42 carries a worm 4%, located within the casing andmeshing into a worm wheel 4:5 secured to the mast 3. In practical operation, the clutch 29 is manipulated to couple up the drum 25 with the engine shaft 26, whereupon rotationwill be imparted to the drum, the flexible element 20 being reeled on the drum over the sheaves 23, 22, 19 and 14. The bucket 15 will be elevated and will swing by gravity into position exactly beneath the hanger l2.

The sheave 23 is offset with respect to the axis of the mast 3, the mast will tend to rotate when the bucket 15 is raised, the bucket swinging around, and ultimately arriving in a position above the hopper34, whereupon the contents of the bucket may be dumped into the hopper. If desired, any suitable means may be provided for supporting the bucket, adjacent to the hopper 34. It is not necessary to rely upon the offset position of the sheave 23 to efiect a rotation of the mast 3. By means of the clutch AtO, one of the beveled pinions 39 may be coupled to the second shaft 35 which is driven by means of the sprocket chain 37, from the engine shaft 26. The said beveled pinion 39, meshing into the beveled pinion 41, will rotate the third shaft 42, the third shaft driving the worm 4a, andthe worm 44: operating the worm wheel 45, which, in turn, will rotate the mast 3 in order to swing the bucket 15 into dumping position with respect to the hopper 3.4.

It has been pointed out hereinbefore that the mast 3 is journaled for rotation in the casing 2. It is not necessary that the mast 3 is journaled in the casing. If desired, the arm 7 and the brace 9 may swing on the mast 3, the latter being fixed, and under such circumstances, the inner end of the brace 9 will rotate on the mast 3 between the collars '10, the inner end of the arm 7 rotating on the mast 3, between the collars 8, the showing of the drawings in either case, being the same. Preferably, however, the mast 3 is rotatable, as above described, and is actuated by the mechanism of which the worm 44- and the worm wheel 45 constitute a part.

The device is so constructed that when the heavily loaded bucket 15 is -aised, the strain is well distributed on all parts of the machine. As soon as the bucket 15 is raised, the bucket follows a diagonal path upwardly and inwardly thereby shifting the weight to the mast 3. The structure, obviously, has many advantages over devices of that kind wherein theb ucket is first raised, and then carried inwardly on such an elementas the arm 7, by means of a hanger mounted to slide along the arm.

It will be obvious that by connecting the beveled pinions 39 one at a time with the shaft 35 by means of the clutch 40, a reversal of the direction of the shaft 4:2, and consequently a reversal in the direction of rotat-ion of the mast3 may be effected. The bucket 15, therefore, may be swung inwardly into a positionabove the hopper 34c, and be swung outwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. By adjusting the hanger 12 in the openings 11 of the arm 7, the bucket 15 may be so positioned that it will be above thehopper 3% when the bucket is W W. y

svung around horizontally into dumping position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In adevice of the class described, a mast; an arm on the mast and having horizontal swinging movement; a first sheave on the outer end of the arm; a second sheave; means for connecting the second sheave with the arm at adjusted points along the arm; a third sheave mounted on the mast in spaced relation to the axis of the mast; a carrier; a sheave on the carrier; a flexible element connected at one end to the -arrier and trained around the second sheave, around the sheave on the carrier, around the first sheave, and around the third sheave; and a winding device whereunto the other end of the fleXible element is connected. 7

Ina device of the class described, a rotatable mast; an arm on the mast; a drive shaft; a drum on the shaft; a clutch connecting the drum with the shaft; a flexible element wound at one end about the drum and slidably supported on the arm; a carrier connected with the other end of the flexible element; an operative connection between the shaft and the mast for rotating the mast; a reversing mechanism interposed in the connection; and a, guide receiving the flexible element slidably and mounted on the mast in offset relation to the axis of the mast whereby when the drum is operated to raise the carrier, the arm will be swung laterally .if the reversing mechanism is in a neutral position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ERNEST J. McHARG. Witnesses G. H. HALE, IRENE VVATEns. 

